Folding dinette table and benches



July 3, 1951 J. M. LEONARD FOLDING DINETTE TABLE AND BENCHES Filed Aug. 13, 1948 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 I v I Z I 5 INVEN TOR.

ugh/1 M. Leonard ATTD R N EYS T1 7: 5 j A 4 y 3, 1951 J. M. LEONARD 2,559,021

FOLDING DINETTE TABLE AND BENCHES Filed Aug. 1a, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z3 INVENTOR. Q "k 36 John M. Leo/70rd ATTDRN EYS Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING DINETTE TABLE AND BENCHES John M. Leonard, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,045

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a foldable dinette table and bench combination.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable dinette table and bench combina: tion which can be installed as a unit on a wall and wherein the separate table and benches can be extended. from the attaching frame on the wall and supported at their ends with little effort and can be returned to the attaching memher by sliding upwardly the inner ends of the same in grooves in the attaching member and locating the braces and the legs in flush engagement with the rear faces of the table and benches and in such a manner that they will not be viewed when the parts are folded together.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a combined dinette table and bench unit adapted to be mounted on a wall and from which the table and benches can be extended and supported for use, which is of simple construction, easy to install on the wall, has few parts, inexpensive to manufacture, and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is an elevational view of the unit with the table and benches folded onto the frame and suspended in their out of use positions.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the unit.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the unit with the table and benches extended out of the attaching frame and into their positions for use.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the unit with the parts extended and showing in dotted line the manner in which the parts are adjusted to be moved between their folded and extended positions.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the connection of the table or bench with the frame.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view looking upon the connection of the lower end of the brace rod with the frame.

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of a bench and of the connection of the leg supports therefor.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the leg connection with the bench.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken on line Ill-40 of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the figures, [0 represents a frame which can be secured to the wall of a room by fastening elements H. These fastening elements are fixed to the wall at different elevations by screws l3 and are of such shape as to provide a projection i4 adapted to enter openings id in the frame ii. If it is desired to remove the frame or the unit, the frame is merely lifted upwardly from the fasteners II.

The frame or attaching portion comprises horizontal pieces i6 and H vertically spaced from one another and vertically extending pieces I8, l8, 2&3 and El laterally spaced from one another, the two inner vertical pieces [9 and 20 being spaced a greater distance to receive the dinette table element or top 22.

On the inner end of the table top, there is fixed a trunnion bracket 22' by screws 23, Fig. 10, which is adapted to be projected into a vertically extending guide slot 24. There is one of these brackets at each side of the table top. The table top can accordingly be adjusted to a vertical position as shown in Fig. 1, and then extended to a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3. The inner end of the top will move downwardly in the slots 26. A brace rod 25 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the vertical piece I9 and to a bracket 26 connected to the under surface of the table whereby to support the table top until leg 2'! can be extended down for engagement with the floor. A brace rod 28 is similarly connected between the frame piece 20 and the table top 22. These rods 25 and 28 can pivot inwardly about their respective pivot points 29 for connection with the lower ends of the vertical frame pieces I9 and 20.

The leg 21 has inwardly bent upper ends 3| which are journalled in bearing plates 32. The end is also bent horizontally as indicated at 33 so that it may engage with the bottom face of the table top to prevent outward pivotal displacement of the leg 27.

In order to keep the leg 271 from swinging inwardly, there is provided a transversely extending slide 34 adapted when moved outwardly in guide brackets 35 and 36 to engage the ends 33 of the leg 21 whereby to retain the same in their adjusted position. The member 34 is operated by a longitudinally extending handle 37 operable through a guide plate 38. The table top 22 may be made of plywood, as shown in Fig. 6, or other suitable material.

At the opposite sides of the table top 22 are disposed respectively benches 40 and 4|. These benches are similarly hung between the vertical frame pieces and are respectively provided with side brace elements 42 and 43 and a supporting leg 44. A similar formation is provided on the ends of the legs 44 and a latch arrangement or retaining member 45 is provided for keeping the leg against pivotal displacement.

With either the table or the bench, the inner end of the same is tilted upwardly through a slot in the vertically extending frame pieces. The

slots for the benches are longer than the slots 24;

The bench slots are indicated at 46.

It will be apparent that this combined bench and table can be attached to the wall as a unit and that the table top and the benches will lie in vertically disposed positions when withdrawn from the attaching frame which is secured to the wall. It will also be apparent that the frame can be easily detached from the fastening elements on the wall.

While'various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A foldable leg having inwardly bent upper ends and laterally extending formations on the inwardly bent ends, a support, means pivotally connecting said ends inwardly of said laterally extending formations t0 the undersurface of the support adjacent one end thereof, said laterally extending formations serving to retain the leg against outward pivotal displacement when in contact with the undersurface of the support, a retaining element, and means slidably mounting the retaining element on the undersurface of the support so that in one position said retaining element will extend over the laterally extending formations of the leg ends to prevent the pivotal displacement of the leg upon the support in the opposite direction, and in another position will be removed from said laterally extending formations to permit pivotal displacement of the leg into folding position.

JOHN M. LEONARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 875,269 Imnan Dec. 31, 1907 1,515,242 Dexter Nov. 11, 1924 1,553,821 Johnson Sept. 15, 1925 1,646,939 Strong Oct. 25, 1927 1,756,777 Wright Apr. 29, 1930 1,759,800 Noack May 20, 1930 

